Dreaming of Demons
by adelaiderose1
Summary: Link had a past with Ghirahim, and had been learning about it before he ever actually met the demon.


1

It was the night before the wing ceremony, and as Link drifted off to sleep, he hoped for dreams to encourage him to win. The dreams he did have, were not at all like the ones he expected.

In his dream, Link was sitting in a garden full of flowers he could not name. Next to him was a man with white hair that covered half of his face. He was laughing, despite the fact that he had two horrible black eyes. He spoke, but Link was unable to make out what he was saying, but he was nodding and smiling anyway. It felt natural to be sitting in a garden with this man and laughing. Link leaned in and kissed him on the edge of his mouth, and then smiled before leaning his head on the man's shoulder.

Link woke with a start. He remembered every detail of his dream. For some reason, it bothered him. The part that worried him the most was when he kissed the white haired man. Link felt that the only person he would ever kiss like that would be the one he was destined to be with, his chosen, his other half. But Link had felt natural kissing this man who he didn't even know. Anyway, Link had never met anyone he felt that way about. He decided to try to put the dream out of his mind for the day, then if he wanted to ask someone about the meaning later, he could. He had no idea he would ever meet the man from his dream, and especially not as soon as he did.

2

After fighting his way through the first dungeon searching for Zelda, Link was exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to curl up on the floor and rest. But as he stepped into the last room, he did not find Zelda, like he had expected. Instead, he was greeted with a surprise.

At first, he was almost too shocked at the white hair to think of anything else. Then, for a moment, he thought he saw a flicker of both hurt and recognition in the man's one uncovered eye. Link finally managed to catch the man's words part way into his speech.

"Oh, but listen to me, I'm being positively uncivil," he said, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am the demon lord who presides over this land you look down upon, this world you call the surface. You may call me Ghirahim."

Link almost choked. He had kissed a demon? Demons were the enemies in children's stories, the one's that he was terrified of at night!

"But," Link thought, "At least I have a name,"

Then Link thought of Zelda, and drew his sword.

"Did you really just draw your sword?" Said Ghirahim, "Foolish boy. By all rights the girl should have fallen into our hands already. She was nearly ours when that loathsome servant of the goddess snatched her away."

"Who is the "Us" Ghirahim was talking about?" wondered Link. "Is there more than one powerful demon, or is he just crazy? I kind of hope he's just nuts."

"Do you have any idea how that made me feel inside?" The demon continued, the lights in the room now flickering, "Furious! Outraged! Sick with anger!"

"Yep," thought Link, "Definitely crazy."

The demon disappeared, and left Link looking around the room, slightly afraid. "This turn of events has left me with a strong appetite for bloodshed," Said the demon's voice, echoing through the room. Link looked behind him to find Ghirahim there. "Still it hardly seems fair, being of my position, to take all of my anger out on you."

"Why did I have a dream about kissing this guy?" Thought Link.

"Which is why I promise up front not to murder you," Said Ghirahim.

If Link could talk he probably would have said something sarcastic like, "Oh, well that's a relief." Right then, he was a bit glad he was mute.

"No, I'll just beat you within an inch of your life!" The demon laughed, and then stuck out his long tongue.

Despite his disgust Link had a strange thought for a brief moment, "That would be kind of sexy if he did it in a different context." Link shook the thought out of his head. It wasn't time for that. Link turned and pointed his sword at the laughing demon.

3

Link had more dreams about the demon Ghirahim at night. He had decided to never ask FI about them, as the dreams had become very personal and emotional. He tried to believe that they meant nothing, but they seemed real enough to be memories. In many of the dreams they were conversing in different places and laughing. Link had actually found some of those places on the surface, and felt almost nostalgic when he went to them. In some dreams, though, they were battling. These dreams helped when Link had to fight Ghirahim in the real world, as he quickly picked up on the demon's techniques. One dream, though, bothered him almost enough to tell Fi about it.

Link was in a battle. Blood and death surrounded him. He knew he was fighting for the goddess and his friends, but part of him felt what was happening was wrong. Link found himself staring up at a monster of a demon, tall, with hair that looked like fire. The demon drove his sword through Links chest. The last thing he remembered was a terrified scream from a voice he almost recognized.

Link awoke to find that he had been crying in his sleep. Fi was floating next to him. "Master," the sword spirit asked, "There is a one hundred percent chance that there is something distressing that you are not informing me about."

Link nodded at Fi. He thought to her, "Yes, there is, but I don't want to tell you about it."

"I do not understand. It is illogical for you to not express this to me. Master, there is an eighty percent chance that I can give you advice about whatever is causing you to experience a difficult dream."

Link shook his head. He was not in the mood to discuss the dream relationship he had with the demon who was trying to kill both him and Zelda. His quest was almost finished. He wouldn't have to worry about it then.

4

Link was fighting the huge demon he had fought in his nightmare. He was as terrified as he had been, but equally determined, but the battle was going badly. Link was bleeding badly, and while his strength seemed to be waning, the demon king Demise only seemed to be growing in power. Eventually, one of his blows managed to knock Link off of his feet.

The goddess sword slipped out of Link's grasp as he hit the ground. Before he had time to move, Demise was standing over him, pointing the demon sword directly at his chest. Just like in his dream, Link had lost. He passed out from shock and blood loss. As he lost consciousness, he heard Ghirahim's voice cry out, "No Master, not again!"

When Link woke up, he was in terrible pain. Zelda was standing over him, rubbing ointment on his wounds. She smiled widely when Link moved. "Link!" She cried, "You woke up! For a while I was worried we would lose you!" She turned around and shouted away from Link, "Groose! Impa! Link is awake!"

The old woman Impa and Groose walked into Link's line of sight. "Now, now, your grace," Said Impa softly, "I'm not sure this shouting is good for him. He almost died, after all. Link, do you even know what happened between the battle with Demise and you waking up here?"

Link shook his head no.

"Wait!" said Zelda, quickly followed by a quieter, "Sorry, wait. Link, I have your journal and pen. Write what you know."

Link took the journal and started to draw. He put down a picture of the demon standing over him, sword pointed down. "And that's when I passed out," he wrote, then thought about it. He drew a rough drawing of Ghirahim, and put a speech bubble next to it, reading "No master, not again!" Then Link shrugged. He wrote, "That's all I know."

Everyone stared at the drawings. Groose was the first to speak. "Hey, Link. You know that demon guy is right over there, right? He came back with you. He looks even worse than you do, you know," Groose waved a hand to the other side of the room. Turning his head carefully, Link looked around the room. He was in the temple where Impa lived, and sure enough, Ghirahim was lying on a makeshift bed on the other side of the room. He was covered head to toe in blood, bruises, and cuts of all sizes.

"Link," said Zelda softly, "Ghirahim was holding you when you came back. He asked us to save you, then fainted."

Impa shook her head at Zelda, "Now, your grace, the hero here may not even know what is going on. Link," She said, "Do you know about you and Ghirahim? There is a story to why he saved you."

Link shook his head no, then paused for a moment. He frantically flipped through journal pages until he found the ones he wanted. He showed the group the pictures he had drawn of his dreams. Him and Ghirahim wandering through a garden, him and Ghirahim climbing on rocks, him and Ghirahim sharing a bowl of soup. He then grimaced, and turned a few pages forward. There was a depiction of his nightmare, him facing down the demon sword he now knew housed Ghirahim. He flipped to a blank page and wrote, "These were all dreams I had. Does this have something to do with it?"

Zelda nodded and said, "Link, those weren't just dreams. Those all happened. You know the story of the war with the demons? How I was there before, but as just Hylia, not Zelda?" Link nodded, and Zelda continued, "Well, you were there too. I decided I needed someone to protect all the peoples of the world from any danger in it, so I gave you the gift of courage, and the ability to be a true hero. You were defeated by Demise in battle, but I wanted you to come back when I returned in my mortal form. I knew I would need a hero."

"But I failed," Wrote Link.

"But you didn't," Said Zelda. "You fought honorably, and without you, Demise would not have been destroyed."

"What do you mean? Of course I failed! I couldn't defeat him! I don't even know what happened!" Wrote Link. If he had had a voice, he would have been shouting.

"Link," Said Zelda. "You did not fail. You did not just battle well, you also inspired another." She gestured over at Ghirahim. "In his effort to protect you, he may have sacrificed himself to defeat his master."

Link frowned, "But why would he want to protect me? I don't even know him," he wrote.

"But Link, it doesn't even matter if you know him. You have the same spirit of the old hero, just like I have the same spirit as the old Hylia. And it seems that you are regaining some of your memories as dreams, or at least the ones pertaining to your relationship with Ghirahim," said Zelda, glancing over to the place where Ghirahim rested.

"Relationship?" wrote Link, "Does that mean we were," Link never got to finish writing, as Groose got to the point first.

"Ooh! Link's in love!" Shouted Groose, and he began to make kissing noises.

Link swatted at Groose, but was in too much pain to make much of an effort. He settled for rolling his eyes and scowling.

"Aw, Link," Said Groose, "You know I'm just messing with you, right? I wouldn't believe that there could be anything there either, but between the way he looked when the two of you got back here, and those pictures you showed us, well, there's got to be something, right? Come on Link, just admit it."

Link rolled his eyes, refusing to admit anything. Then he looked over at the demon. He wrote, "Can you save him?"

Impa looked in Link's eyes. "Yes," she said, "I believe we can save him, but it depends on how much will he has left to live. You rest, and we'll tell you what happens. Do you need anything for now?"

Link mimed drinking water, and Impa pointed to a glass sitting on a table next to his bed.

"Just make some noise if you need anything," she said, and then pulled Groose and Zelda off to the side to work with her.

5

Link faded in and out of sleep. When he was asleep, he dreamed constantly about the demon sleeping on the other side of the room. It was as though he was getting a part of himself back that had been gone for a thousand years. "I wonder if my life had anything important in it other than Ghirahim," wondered Link. He stared at the sleeping demon. "We've both changed so much. Is it worth trying to have a relationship with him like we had before? I suppose it couldn't hurt to get to know him now." Link stood up, and managed to walk painfully over to Ghirahim's bed.

At that moment, Zelda noticed him. "Link!" she said in a stern voice, "Get back to bed. You're still too hurt to be moving around. Here, I'll help you back to bed."

Link shook his head no, and placed his hand on Ghirahim's back. In that moment, Link was overwhelmed with more memories than he had ever had in his dreams.

There he was with Ghirahim, sitting and laughing. There they were arguing. There they were, Link carefully covering Ghirahim's bruises and black eyes from Demise with heavy makeup. And there they were, with Ghirahim crying uncontrollably, Link making promises of love. "Ghirahim," Link said in the sign language he used with Ghirahim, "When you are free, we'll have everything, and we'll be together."

And there they were, exchanging vows in secret, telling each other they would love each other forever. They only had the fireflies, stars and moon as their witnesses, but it was all they needed.

It ended with the demon sword clashing against the goddess sword, and a realization that whatever happened, one of them would have to lose, one of them was doomed. Link decided in that moment to sacrifice himself, to let Ghirahim live, only hoping that he could have a better life in the future.

When Link returned to the present, Zelda was nodding at him. "That's how it was for me, too. Getting my memories back, I mean," she said. "It was all at once."

Link motioned for his journal, and when Zelda got it, he wrote, "When will he wake up?"

"Well, Link," Said Zelda, starting to frown, "I have to talk to you about that. It's not looking good for him. Unlike Fi, who lived in the goddess sword, the demon sword sort of lived in Ghirahim. When he betrayed Demise by saving you, the sword was pulled out of his soul. He's having trouble recovering from it. Link, I don't know what to tell you."

Link started shaking his head no over and over. "No!" he thought, "No, this can't be happening, I only just got him back!"

Distress read clearly on Link's face, and Zelda rushed closer to comfort him. "Link," she said, "I wish there was something I could do. But even as a goddess, I cannot stop death."

Link was crying now. He looked down at Ghirahim. "I haven't even gotten to know him in this life," he thought. "I still love him. This isn't supposed to happen! It isn't meant to end like this!" Not even thinking, Link leaned in and kissed the edge of Ghirahim's lips, like his past self had done so many times.

Link was reminded of a children's tale in that moment. A person, trapped in an eternal sleep, who was woken by the kiss of their true love. All Link could hope for was for that story to have some truth in it.

And lo and behold, Ghirahim opened his eyes.

6

"Link?" said Ghirahim, "What happened? Where are we? When are we?"

Link smiled. Before he answered Ghirahim's questions, he leaned in for another gentle kiss. When he pulled back, he smiled, and signed, "You're free."

"That's wonderful," said Ghirahim, "But am I free dead, or free alive? I see the goddess behind you," Ghirahim nodded to Zelda, and greeted her with a, "your grace," then continued, "If Demise won in the end, we could all be dead."

"We're alive," Link signed. "You saved us all."

Ghirahim gasped, and smiled, "I thought I wasn't going to survive that. I also didn't think you would be kissing me. I thought you truly believed I wanted to kill you. I do have an explanation for that, I want you to know, but it hurts to talk right now. Maybe later?"

Link smiled, and showed Ghirahim the pictures in his journals. He then wrote, "I promised I would love you forever. I also promised you we would be together when you were free."

Ghirahim smiled, and said, "That was about a thousand years ago, Link. While I love the sentiment, we have a lot of catching up to do before we go rushing into anything."

Link signed, "Well, when you feel a little better, we'll start catching up. It's only a thousand years you have to tell me about, it shouldn't take too long."

Ghirahim started laughing, then winced. "Of course. But for now, I just want some rest. You're free to stay nearby, if her grace doesn't want you back in bed. You still look terrible." He looked over at Zelda.

"Well," said Zelda, "I personally think that Link should be resting, but once he gets an idea in his head, he tends to go through with it. If he wants to stay here, I think it will take more than my magic to get him back to bed."

7

Link was persistent in getting to know Ghirahim. Slowly stories about both of their lives came out.

"I thought I was broken" Link told Ghirahim one day, "In Skyloft, they say that every person has someone that they are meant to be with. It was always really sad when somebody couldn't find their one," then Link smiled, "But now I have you." He hugged Ghirahim and pecked him on the lips.

While Link's stories mostly ended in laughter and kisses, Ghirahim's mostly ended in tears. "Demise hit me," He said, "That's why I started wearing the eyeshadow. I was trying to cover my bruises. I honestly feel a little bit naked without it now. It was a habit, but I'm so happy that I have a choice whether or not to wear it now," Ghirahim was crying a bit, but only from relief.

It was a long time and many stories before their first real "I love you." Link was sitting near Ghirahim in a quiet spot they had found. Both were about to fall asleep when Ghirahim murmured, "Love you."

Link turned around and stared at Ghirahim. He signed, "What?"

"No, no!" said Ghirahim, "It's, I didn't mean, I mean, well,"

"What do you mean? If it's not anything, it's all right, but I've wanted to say that for a long time," Link signed, but Ghirahim just kept stammering, not really paying attention. Link put his hands on either side of Ghirahim's face, holding him gently until he paid attention. Link sighed and signed, "It's all right, I love you too."

Ghirahim gasped, then smiled. For once, he was lost for words. Link coaxed him back into the position he had been in before, and they went back to resting, listening to the sound of each other's heartbeats.

8

For some time, Ghirahim was a bit feared by the people from Skyloft. After all, he was a demon, and he had lived in the wilds of the surface for a long time. Even though Groose, Zelda and Link had made a pact to not tell anyone about what had happened between them and Ghirahim, it took some time for everyone to warm up to each other.

Eventually, though, Most Skyloftians got used to having a demon in their midst, and Ghirahim learned how to tone down his violent humor, everyone started to get along. It was then that Zelda gathered everyone together.

"People of Skyloft, and future citizens of the surface, I would like to make a suggestion!" A murmur went through the crowd. If it was something Hylia herself was suggesting, it must be important. "My friends," She began, "For a long time, there has been, unbeknownst to many, been a large community of demons living below the surface." The crowd began whispering again. Zelda hushed them and continued, "I would believe that these demons are more like us than could be imagined. If it is accepted, I would like to open up the realm of the surface to these demons, so, like us, they could come and go. Perhaps we could open up trade with them, and create friendships with these people who we have not known for so long. If there are any objections, this is, of course, open to discussion." Zelda bowed as a sign she had finished her speech. The crowd had several whispers spreading through it, but no objections were immediately raised.

It turned out that no objections were raised in the next month, which Zelda spent learning demonic etiquette, and preparing the spell to open the demon realm.

9

It turned out that opening the demon realm to the surface was one of the best ideas that Zelda had ever had. The demons, while skeptical of the goddess who had locked them in the demon realm so long ago, were glad to explore the surface. Both races were glad to meet each other and make new friends. The languages, most customs, and even the pumpkin soup recipes were fairly similar.

What was even better was that many in both groups who felt that they would never find anyone to love were meeting partners. "They were there all along," Zelda commented one day. "I wish we had been able to do this years ago."

Surrounded by friends of both races, and many new couples, Link and Ghirahim were feeling more than a little bit of pressure to get married.

"Come on!" Said Groose one day to Link, "We all know you love each other, what's holding you back?"

Link shrugged. He didn't really know.

10

It ended up being Ghirahim who got sick of waiting first. Link and Ghirahim were sitting on a couch in Link's house on the surface. "Link," Said Ghirahim, "I know you built this house big enough for two for a reason. And we are both getting asked about when the wedding is every day. Come on Link. When are you going to propose?"

Link shook his head, "Me?" he signed, "Me? I was waiting for you." Then they both burst out laughing. "All right," Link signed, "Will you marry me?"

Ghirahim laughed harder. "Of course I'll marry you. Will you marry me?"

Link didn't even have to think before nodding in agreement.

11

The wedding was beautiful, of course. Zelda had used magic to decorate the temple, making sure to shoo Ghirahim out when he wanted to check to make sure that it was "up to his fashionable standards."

Ghirahim actually wore an outfit without cutouts when Link requested he not "show off everything to the people there Ghirahim, please." Link wore an outfit that Ghirahim designed because, "If I see you at our wedding in that awful knight uniform I will walk out!"

The traditions were a combination of demonic and skyloftian. Rings were exchanged and vows were read. Ghirahim managed to get a real kiss out of Link at the end, despite the fact that Link was embarrassed.

12

In the end, happily ever after didn't come easily for the two of them. Sometimes their personalities clashed, and both still had nightmares. It didn't stop their love, though, and it didn't stop the support of their friends, both demon and human. Because Ghirahim had been split from the demon sword, the two of them got older together. It seemed that all of the children on the surface were their children, as they came to Ghirahim and Link for stories of adventure. Even when their lives were over, their stories of adventure lived on.


End file.
